Jade Emperor
The Jade Emperor, Yudi, or Yu Huang (Chinese: 玉皇; pinyin: Yù Huáng; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Gio̍k-hông or Chinese: 玉帝; pinyin: Yù Dì; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Gio̍k-tè) in Chinese culture, traditional religions and myth is one of the representations of the first god (太帝 tài dì).
| Jade Emperor | |||||||||||||
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Jade Emperor in a Ming Dynasty ink and color painting on silk, 16th century | |||||||||||||
| Chinese | 玉皇 | ||||||||||||
| Literal meaning | Jade Emperor | ||||||||||||
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| Second alternative Chinese name | |||||||||||||
| Chinese | 天公 | ||||||||||||
| Literal meaning | Heavenly Grandfather | ||||||||||||
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| Third alternative Chinese name | |||||||||||||
| Chinese | 玉皇大帝 | ||||||||||||
| Literal meaning | August Emperor of Jade | ||||||||||||
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In Daoist theology, he is the assistant of Yuanshi Tianzun, who is one of the Three Pure Ones, the three primordial emanations of the Tao. However, some Taoists in history were skeptical of his benevolence because his buildings and infrastructure in heaven and earth were sometimes seen as interfering with the many natural laws or dao.
He is often identified with Śakra in Chinese Buddhist cosmology and identified with Yu the Great in Chinese mythology.
The Jade Emperor is known by many names, including Yu, Heavenly Grandfather (天公, Tiāngōng), which originally meant "Heavenly Duke", which is used by commoners; the Jade Lord; the Highest Emperor; Great Emperor of Jade (玉皇上帝, Yu Huang Shangdi or 玉皇大帝, Yu Huang Dadi).